Another spot-on post, NW! You are doing such a wonderful job focusing on what’s real. As the scriptures teach, people should be judged by their deeds and not just by their words. Again, thank you for all your hard work and for keeping us at TOD grounded in TRUTH.

Well put, LL! This is the problem with the so called public intellectuals, including “blackademics.”Most of the so called public intellectuals have become mostly performers who covet approval and validation from their fellow media pundit class. Bashing President Obama is now trendy with the media Pundit class. Public intellectuals know that they will receive accolades when they bash President Obama.That’s why for these Black public intellectuals/academics, It’s not chick to seriously think about the dual role of a President. First, he is the President of all the Americans, including those who strongly hate him. Second, he is the head of the Executive branch of the government, which includes the Department of Justice, that must ensure that laws are fairly and impartially carried out.

It really saddens me to see the supposedly well educated people, like Professor Michael E. Dyson, using double standards in their criticism of President Obama. I don’t remember any one asking Dwight Eisenhower to personally to go to Arkansas (1957) or New Orleans (1960) after whites rioted to try to prevent Blacks from attending all white schools. I don’t remember any one asking JFK to personally go to Oxford, Mississippi (1962), or Birmingham, AL (1963) following the white violence to prevent James Meredith from being enrolled at the University of Mississippi, and after the Church bombing that resulted in the death of four innocent black girls. Neither President JFK, nor his brother AG, RFK went to Alabama and Mississippi to protect Freedom riders who were being brutalized by local and state police, as well as terrorists groups like the KKK. LBJ never went to Selma or Montgomery, despite the fact that the Selma-to-Montgomery marchers were brutalized, and three people lost their lives. LBJ never went to Watts, or Detroit after cops shot Black people thereby triggering massive resistance (also called riots) that ended up with more people killed. I honestly don’t know what’s wrong with all these simplistic “blackademics,” who just don’t realize that a President of the United States, bully pulpit or no bully pulpit, cannot usefully insert himself/herself personally in an on going civil disturbance. What exactly did Professor Dyson expect the President to do in Ferguson, MO? Did he expect him, Secret Service and all, to lead the Protest against the racist Ferguson Police? Did he want the President to go Ferguson and be arrested and thrown in jail in order to prove that he really cares about Black people and is dedicated to ensure that killer of the teenager, Michael Brown, faces justice?

Professor Michael Eric Dyson condemns the President for not going to Ferguson, Mo, but he himself didn’t go to Ferguson, MO. His excuse: ” I am not the President.” I suppose, following the attempted assassination of, James Meredith, MLK, Floyd McKissick, Stokely Carmichael, John Lewis, and thousands of people of all ages, should have gone on television to condemn LBJ for not going to Memphis to lead the “March Against Fear” that Meredith had embarked on before was ambushed and shot, because, like Professor Dyson, they were not the President. I know President Obama campaigned for change, but I never imagined that one of the fundamental changes that would occur under his Presidency was the emergency of “Blackademics,” who believe that their only responsibility is to launch vigorous and sustained criticism of President Obama to clearly show that he is not a real Black person and that he doesn’t care about Black people. One thing that “blackademics” haven’t yet figured out is why most Black folks won’t buy their BS about President Obama. It’s true that many “holier than thou? white progressives buy into the BS of “blackademics.” But as far as I know, the vast majority of Black people, who always have their antennas up to detect all sorts BS, are fully aware that President Obama is in their corner. Many of my friends don’t appreciate the way PRESIDENT Obama has been treated. They are especially appalled by all the blatantly ugly disrespectful treatment he has been subjected to by the media and the Republican party. They just can’t stand these “blackademics” who think that it’s perfectly O.K. to join right ,wingers and most of the MSM, in the hatred and disrespect of President Obama.

From the aerospace sector to Silicon Valley, engineering has a retention problem: Close to 40 percent of women with engineering degrees either leave the profession or never enter the field. Conventional wisdom says that women in engineering face obstacles such as the glass ceiling, a lack of self-confidence and a lack of mentors. But psychologists who delved deeper into the issue with a new study found that the biggest pushbacks female engineers receive come from the environments they work in. The findings were announced recently at the annual American Psychological Association convention in Washington, D.C.

Over the course of three years, Nadya Fouad, a psychologist at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, surveyed 5,300 women who earned engineering degrees within the past six decades in order to figure out why so few stayed in engineering. Fouad reported that only 62 percent of respondents were currently working in engineering. Those who left the field provided their reasons for doing so in the survey.

The answer, Fouad said, was simple: “It’s the climate, stupid!” she said during her presentation, referring to the “old-boys club” workplaces that she says still exist in many engineering organizations. Respondents in her study reflected her sentiments, with many calling the engineering workplace unfriendly and even hostile to women. They also said they felt that many of these companies did not provide opportunities for women like them to advance and develop. “Women’s departure from engineering is not just an issue of ‘leaning in,’ ” said Fouad, lead researcher of the study. “It’s about changing the work environment.”…continued

In states not expanding Medicaid, 6.7 million residents will remain uninsured in 2016 as a result. These states are foregoing $423.6 billion in federal Medicaid funds from 2013 to 2022, lessening economic activity and job growth. Their hospitals are also losing $167.8 billion in Medicaid revenue. Every comprehensive state-level fiscal analysis that we could find concluded that expansion helps state budgets, generating savings and revenues that exceed increased Medicaid costs. Future federal cuts to ACA’s high federal match rate are unlikely. Of more than 100 federal Medicaid cuts since 1980, just one lowered the federal share of Medicaid spending…. via the Urban Institute:

I doubt he will ever have the courage to respond, but this Dyson dude has revealed himself to be a fool regarding the role of ANY President in a situation requiring Justice Department investigation of potential violations of Federal Law. He’s also a fool to mess with folk like NW, Kasai & Only4RM.

Truthfully, his Tweet with the periods after every word, I found to be very condescending. Fortunately, the responding Tweets, kicked his sorry condescending ass to the curb.

Also, please let me just say that after reading Don’s righteous rant, and the comments and ramblings here today…this is why I just love our community…exemplary and just insightful comments…I’ve been in and out…had to tutor and went for coffee this morning with my son, that turned into lunch…just a relaxing and wondering, wonderful day:) Sometimes, our TOD family just really hits it out of the park for me. Today was one of those days. Love you all.

Could not agree more, Chips. He is nothing more than a blatant opportunist that is using the goodness and hard work of an AA President to promote himself. Damn shame….but, like all the others that talk more than they do the hard work of any action that may help the greater good…he’s been exposed as the selfish, self serving person that he is.

Excellent tweet, Bobfr! Someone needs to write a book about the myth of the “bully pulpit.” Whenever President Obama’s critics can’t offer reasonable explanations for their “LAME” criticism of him, they immediately invoke the myth of the “bully pulpit”: a purely subjective invention of some historians/journalists that cannot be objectively evaluated.

“The fact remains that the U.S. far outspends its peer nations when it comes to healthcare costs per capita. This year the United States will spend almost 18 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) on healthcare—six percentage points more than the Netherlands, the next highest spender. Because the U.S. GDP in 2014 will be approximately 17 trillion dollars, those six percentage points over the Netherlands amount to one trillion dollars in additional spending. The burden to the average household through lost wages, insurance premiums, taxes, out-of-pocket care, and other costs will be more than $8,000. Why does the United States spend so much more? The biggest reason is that U.S. healthcare delivers a more expensive mix of services. For example, a much larger proportion of physician visits in the U.S. are to specialists who get higher fees and usually order more high-tech diagnostic and therapeutic procedures than primary care physicians.

Compared with the average OECD country, the U.S. delivers (population adjusted) almost three times as many mammograms, two-and-a-half times the number of MRI scans, and 31 percent more C-sections. Also, the U.S. has more stand-by equipment, for example, 1.66 MRI machines per 6,000 annual scans vs. 1.06 machines. The extra machines provide easier access for Americans, but add to cost. Similarly, occupancy rates in U.S. acute care hospitals are much lower than in OECD countries, reducing the likelihood of delays in admissions, but building that extra capacity adds to cost. Aggressive treatment of very sick elderly also makes the mix expensive. In the U.S. many elderly patients are treated in intensive care units (ICUs), but in other countries they would receive only palliative care. More amenities such as privacy and space in hospitals and more attractive clinics also add to U.S. costs……continued

Engelbreit responded to critics, standing by the print as a statement on the “ugly, hard truth of racial profiling,” adding:

I also thought about disabling the comments today and just let those that wanted to buy the print do so. But then I thought, Well, I posted it—I should see this through to the bitter end. However, today, if anyone uses words like “thug” or “animal” or any other derogatory words to describe their fellow human beings, their comment will be deleted. That’s not free speech, that’s hate speech, and you can go pedal your hatred and bigotry on someone else’s Facebook page.

We can only hope that all the people who said that they were going to unfollow me have done so, and maybe today we can have a more civilized stream of comments.

I am so happy to see Mary Englebreit’s views. I have loved her cheerful artwork for years and used her calendars in my elementary classrooms. I must confess I wondered if she was closer to Hobby Lobby’s viewpoints.

Yea, I was very pleased with her response; I particularly liked her very calm, yet very clear and determined stance. So often we cave to the loud and vicious hatred of the pushy minority (I have to believe they are a minority) simply because they are loud and vicious, and we end up walking away, leaving the field to them. This time Engelbreit politely said ‘Get lost, this is my space!’ :)

Her usual art has a cheerful, what a wonderful white world look. Surprised and pleased that she created this and is standing up for what is right and just, but so sad that the first picture that I have seen of hers that reflects an A A subject must be of such an awful reality.

I understand VC. I hope you have a good and restful sleep. Try as I may, I’ve never been able to come here on time to converse with good people. Actually my situation is getting worse because I now have to share my computer with my daughter who is writing her thesis. I still make sure that I read all the posts and comments, but I realize it’s futile to try to converse with people who are already in bed and in deep sleep.

{{Nathk}} – Since I don’t do deep sleep, one of these nights I’ll look in on one of my sleep breaks and hope that you are around, so I can say a personal ‘hi’ and enjoy a mini-conversation live. Probably over the upcoming weekend, when I’ll be on the road anyway and likely having difficulty snoozing in a hotel bed. We’ll see!

LL, I know I’ve told you before that it took my husband a couple months to get completely comfortable with the CPAP. The way he did it was to “work up” with the amount of time he used it each night. That worked for him–and me too. I had to get used to the noise though I would guess the ones now are quieter than what he began with. Good luck!!!

The thought alone was enough to turn me off, Lib_L, although it’s nice to hear that there are quiet ones. The doctor who went over my results (supposedly) left it open for me to return to talk seriously if I decide to go that route, but I could just see me up all night fiddling around with this thing. Also, he made it clear that the patient would have to stand the cost, and knowing myself, I could see me buying it, then not using it. Instead, I’m telling myself I now *know* why I keep waking up – before I just knew that I woke up but had no explanation. :grin:

As mentioned earlier today, Bibi will never stop Hamas because his only approach has been to kill more Palestinians and build more illegal, unjust settlements in the West Bank, while strangling any form of sustainable Palestinian economy in Gaza.

Hamas is not going to surrender and the Israeli people will soon, in an overwhelming majority, join these protestors and demand an end to Israel’s unjust treatment of Palestinians and insist on establishing a stable, two state solution before it becomes demographically impossible for Israel to be anything other than a pariah, apartheid state.

He always quietly gets it done, proving Don’s point from the last thread.

Nerdy and Don thank you, thank you, thank you!
Nerdy for your AWESOME schooling of Dyson on twitter,
And Don for that beautiful post.
I got home too late to thank you guys in real-time. I’m going to leave a comment on the last post for Don, but in case he misses it I want to leave my praise here also.

Can’t believe that I just saw this lengthy report on Rand Paul in Guatemala on NBC Nightly news performing eye surgeries, but he votes against everything to help the poor here in the U.S. The report will continue on Meet The Press tomorrow. They said that he is making a documentary.

‘The article forgot to mention that Paul is not even certified to practice in the US.’

Thank you, Hopef! He can’t cut it here in North America because his ‘credentials’ are known so he goes where he knows almost any help will be accepted. It’s so much easier to be revered in other countries!

The South Carolina state trooper who arrested NFL defensive lineman Sam Montgomery at a traffic stop last June has been fired, state officials said Friday.

The Department of Public Safety said in a news release that Lance Cpl. R.S. Salter was terminated for violating agency policies including conduct unbecoming a state employee.

Salter stopped Montgomery in June when the Cincinnati Bengals defensive lineman was returning to his home in Greenwood.

Montgomery was arrested and spent a night in jail after Salter clocked him going 89 mph in a 55 mph zone.

But the trooper’s dashboard camera obtained soon after by The Associated Press also captured the officer threatening to use a Taser because the 6-foot-3, 262-pound lineman was struggling to understand his commands.

‘The next thing you’re going to get is the Taser,’ Salter was heard to say on the tape.

Did you catch the YouTube I posted of PBO swatting the fly on this morning’s President Obama is doing his job thread? Your comment on my “Fly on the wall” comment was so cute and made me remember that moment. It actually made me smile when I saw the video because that is how I feel like he deals with ignorant self-serving critics like Dyson ;-)

The story was on ABC evening news. Awful! Supposedly they had seen a gun pointing out of the woman’s car and pulled her over. She had no idea what they were talking about….her 6 year old got out of the car crying, with his hands up, begging not to go to jail. By that time the cops knew they were wrong, so tried to be all nicey-nice to the boy…….she was interviewed and said she can’t forget this and go on…they just want her to do that, but she can’t, it was too awful.

Wow, the covers of many police actions are sure being ripped off! The corrupt, racist, mean underbelly of many forces is sure being exposed! This happened in Forney, TX, just about 30 miles east of where my son and family live.

Institutional racism in policing is not a new development, but militarization is. During the 1980s and 90s, the government took advantage of the public fear of drugs to gain support for ramped up military-grade policing programs. Apart from 1033, federal support also came in a variety of DOJ and DHS grants that bolstered state and local law enforcement agencies, which used them to purchase lethal weapons, body armor, and vehicles built to withstand roadside bombs in war zones. Joint operations between police departments and the federal agencies like the FBI became common.

But the changes caused by militarization were not equal among all communities. Racial disparities were rampant. Black communities were disproportionately targeted for policing and arrests — and the increasingly militarized equipment and conduct that went with it — despite evidence pointing to higher levels of drug crimes among whites
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'This is the Story of Power in this Country': Ferguson, Institutionalized Racism and the Militarization of Police – http://t.co/yKiyr0d4Ym